Early Edition with Ryan Bridge

Beef and Lamb's declaring methane target cuts, great news for New Zealand. 

The Government's reducing targets to 14 to 24-percent below 2017 levels. 

That's between 24 to 47-percent lower than previous targets. 

Beef & Lamb Chair Kate Acland told Ryan Bridge the Government's right to say a number of farmers would have been put out of business without this change. 

She says the new targets are in line with wh...

New Zealanders have voted against steep rates rises in the local elections.

Auckland's Wayne Brown and Christchurch's Phil Mauger have both been re-elected over the weekend, with a commitment to keep rates rises lower.

Wellington's Andrew Little and Hamilton's Tim Macindoe have indicated they'll rein in their cities' steep rates rises.

In Dunedin - Sophie Barker has won the mayoralty over incumbent Jules Radich. 

Newstalk ZB's...

If the Coalition was looking for an endorsement of its rates cap idea, it got one over the weekend.

Of the 18 councils that hit ratepayers with double-digit hikes this year, 13 elected new mayors.

Newsroom had great coverage of the results. Tim Macindoe won in Hamilton. If the name sounds familiar — he’s a former National MP. Rates there rose 41% in three years. Go figure.

Voters aren’t stupid and should never be taken for granted.

Property investors are celebrating new methamphetamine contamination laws coming in next year.  

Properties with meth residue exceeding 15 micrograms per 100-square centimetres will be considered contaminated, requiring treatment. 

Landlords and tenants will be able to quickly end tenancies with excessive levels. 

Property Investors Federation Advocacy Manager Matt Ball told Ryan Bridge the new standards will reduce ...

The road to peace in Gaza is not without its obstacles, despite a major breakthrough.  

Israel's security cabinet's meeting to vote on implementing the first phase of a ceasefire proposal.  

The deal would allow the release of hostages early next week and would see Israeli troops pull back to agreed lines.  

The Guardian Washington Bureau Chief David Smith told Ryan Bridge it will get more complicated from this point...

The ACC Minister's confident the insurer's growing deficit is on track to be brought under control. 

The scheme's recorded a net deficit of $1.5 billion, blowing the total out to $13.8 billion.

Minister Scott Simpson told Ryan Bridge the net deficit is still a lot better than last year's $7.2 billion shortfall. 

He says good work has already started, but there's still a lot to do. 

Simpson says this involves doing th...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Friday 10th of October 2025, Donald Trump says the first phase of a Gaza ceasefire deal has been signed, Washington Bureau Chief for the Guardian David Smith has the latest out of the US. 

ACC has reporter yet another deficit, Minister responsible for ACC Scott Simpson shares his thoughts. 

New rules are out on when a rental’s too contaminated with Meth, Property Inv...

In a few hours we'll know who's won the Nobel Peace Prize. 

It's the world's most prestigious award, and Trump wants it really, really badly. 

Every year since 1901, a bunch of Norwegians sit around a table and sort through their candidates. 

This year there's almost 330 entries.

Four US Presidents have previously won it: Obama, Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson - Jimmy Carter got his two decades after he left office. 

...

The discourse surrounding the R360 League is growing increasingly heated.

The rugby unions of New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, England, Ireland, Scotland, France and Italy issued a joint statement on Wednesday (NZT) refusing to endorse the proposed Saudi-funded competition.

Sport commentator Sam Ackerman says the unions are overreacting- "that's like saying back in the day, if you had converted to, to rugby league, then you co...

The Reserve Bank's cut the OCR 50-basis-points to 2.5%, despite acknowledging inflation is above or almost above where they'd like it. 

Finance Minister Nicola Willis says they've factored in broader economic conditions. 

She says the central bank clearly thinks any fluctuation in inflation will be constrained by spare capacity in the economy. 

Labour's Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds told Ryan Bridge it’s a dir...

Locals are raising eyebrows at the camping areas selected within a proposed freedom camping bylaw that goes before council this week.  

The Queenstown Lakes District Council bylaw proposes 15 designated freedom camping sites for the district following a surge in freedom campers. 

Save Clean New Zealand spokesperson Andrea Beryl says she's not against freedom camping, as the area relies on tourism. 

But she told Ryan ...

Former FBI director James Comey is standing by his innocence after being targeted by US President Donald Trump. 

Comey was indicted last month and made his first court appearance in Virginia today.
 
He's pleaded not guilty to charges of making false statements and obstructing a congressional investigation.

US correspondent Nick Harper told Ryan Bridge Trump has described Comey and other political enemies as 'guilty...

On the Early Edition with Ryan Bridge Full Show Podcast Thursday 9th of October 2025, Labour Finance Spokesperson Barbara Edmonds thinks the Reserve Bank is taking a risk cutting the OCR by 50 basis points, she tells Ryan why.

Freedom camping across some of the South Island’s most popular holiday hot-spots has surged to the highest levels, Save Clean New Zealand spokesperson, Andrea Beryl shares her thoughts. 

Rugby Unions aro...

This story about sick or disabled teenagers getting the benefit doesn’t make any sense.

The Government wants to cut the dole for teenagers whose parents earn $65k plus - okay.

Their justification? If poor old mum and dad have to cover their living costs, said teenagers will go find a job.

Okay, fine. That’s about 4000-odd 18–19-year-olds.

But here’s where it gets complicated. 

It turns out around half that number are getting t...

Kier Starmer has urged students not to protest on the anniversary of the October 7 attacks.

UK correspondent Gavin Grey told Ryan Bridge that they aren't listening. 

In London on Saturday nearly 500 people were arrested in a protest linked to Palestine Action which has been labelled a terrorist organisation by the UK Government. 

Starmer warns of rising antisemitism while protesters say conflating the Israeli Government's...

The Government has signed off changes that let NZ Post cut back to just two delivery days a week in towns and three in rural areas.

Postal Workers Union co-president John Maynard said to Ryan Bridge that they are 'very critical' of the decision as it appears NZ Post prioritises returning a dividend to the Government over it's customers.

But NZ Post says nothing is changing yet, and rural communities will still get extra protections...

More students now think it's important to attend school everyday.

A new Education Review Office report shows students are taking school more seriously than three years ago, with six in ten attending regularly - back to pre-Covid levels.

It also found that 80 percent think education is important for their futures, and 75 percent think attending every day is important.

PPTA president Chris Abercrombie told Ryan Bridge having the gove...

Economists say a 25 basis point cut to the Official Cash Rate could be the Reserve Bank's most strategic option. 

The central bank will announce its latest review of monetary policy at 2pm. 

It's largely expected we'll see a cut from the current rate of 3%, but the size of the reduction isn't clear. 

ANZ Chief Economist Sharon Zollner told Ryan Bridge we're just getting into the spring period for the housing market, ...